1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to an energy absorbing steering column assembly for a vehicle, and more particularly to a mechanism of a shift lever assembly of the steering column that is capable of reducing an impact on a driver and improving energy-absorption characteristics of the steering column assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Contemporary automobiles are equipped with numerous safety features that include air bags and energy absorbing devices connected to a steering column assembly. Energy absorption devices include mechanisms that permit a controlled collapse of the steering column, wherein the air bags, mounted on a wheel of the steering column assembly, are designed to deploy in the event of a collision to provide protection to the driver. In addition to the airbag, adjustable position columns are typically fitted with energy absorbing devices including energy absorbing straps or the like, that allow the steering column to collapse during a collision at a controlled rate when impacted by the driver to offer additional protection to the driver.
Differences in the steering column assembly designs include a fixed column assembly, a tilt column assembly, and a telescoping column assembly. These columns include a housing to engage various components of the steering column assembly including and not limited to warning flasher control devices, turn signal switches, ignition key port, windshield and washer control levers, an anti-theft device, and a shift lever.
The art is replete with various designs of steering column assembly. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,750,492 to Holmes, 6,273,466 to Suzuki et al., 6,419,269 to Manwaring et al., the U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002/0073798 to Ryne et al., 2003/0085560 to Shibayama, and Japanese Patent Nos. 00177602 JP to Miki et al. and 02002322 JP to Miki et al.
The Japanese Patent No. 00177602 JP to Miki et al. teaches a steering column assembly including an operation mechanism part operated by a shift lever fixed to the steering column, wherein both the steering column and the operation mechanism part are covered with a column cover. The steering column includes a metal plate having an impact absorbing plastic part connected thereto and defining a gap therebetween. During the collision, a driver's knee collides with the plastic metal plate that plastically deforms and absorbs energy.
The Japanese Patent No. 02002322 JP to Miki et al. teaches a steering column assembly including a support member secured to a bracket and designed for supporting a rear end portion of a shift lever in a manner allowing the rear end portion to freely rotate about an axis thereof. The support member is integrally provided with a mounting flange mounted to the mounting surface of the bracket being approximately parallel to the axis of the rear end portion of the shift lever. The mounting flange includes a fragile portion corresponding to the tip of the rear end portion of the shift lever. In the event of a collision, the driver's knees makes a secondary contact with the shift lever in a head-on collision, thereby breaking the mounting flange to reduce the load on the knees. The aforementioned designs mitigate impact to a driver's knee by a secondary collision without narrowing front space of a driver's seat. Hence practicable, these designs do not improve enough the crashworthiness response and effectiveness of energy absorption system of the vehicle.
There is a constant need in the area of a steering column assembly design to provide a gear shift assembly capable of reducing impact on a driver and improving energy-absorption characteristics of the steering column assembly by pivoting a lever of the gear shift assembly in the direction transverse to the direction of the steering column assembly during the collision of the vehicle thereby improving the crashworthiness response and effectiveness of energy absorption system of the vehicle and reducing the likelihood of injury of the driver during the collision of the vehicle.